The Man Who Walked Away
by Dani writing history here
Summary: Ricky walked away from his and Amy's daughter when she was a baby. Now 36 years later she needs his help. What will happen when she contacts the man who walked away? What will she learn about her family? T rated as a future precaution
1. Overview

_Dear Ricky,_

_My name is Olivia and I am your daughter. I am sure that you recognize my name, you gave it to me, but the fact is that you haven't seen me in the almost 36 years since I was born. I am not writing you to tell you about my life, but rather to ask you for help. Believe me, this is the last thing that I want to do, but it is life or death. My son is 5 and a half years old and he needs a bone marrow transplant so I am making sure that I look down every path. You might not realize this, but children are the greatest gift you can ever have. I ask you now as his biological grandfather, for help. I am a match for him, but right now I am four and a half months along with our second child. My husband James isn't a match, and neither is my mom. There is a good chance that you could be, and while he is in the database, finding a match in you would mean quicker results. I have never asked you for anything, but now I am demanding this. I am sure that you probably have your own family and possibly other children, but I want you to remember that I am also your child and as my biological father, you should stand up finally and do the right thing. Please email me back as soon as you can, James, Evan and I would really appreciate your help._

_ Thanks,_

_ Olivia Mitchels_

I carefully reread the email and hit enter. I couldn't struggle with the words anymore and I couldn't fight whether or not to send it. I knew deep down that he was a match and that fate was somehow leading us back together.

Ricky and I hadn't seen each other since I was four months old. Actually, that would be wrong. He hasn't seen me in that long. I looked him up one day about seven years ago. It was before James and I were getting married and I just wanted to see what he looked like, maybe even introduce myself and show him how amazing I turned out. I wanted him to see how much he had missed in my life. I tracked him down, he lived just 45 minutes away, and went down to the address I'd found. He had done quite well for himself, even becoming a psychologist himself. I had known that he had had a rough childhood and in someway it felt good to know that he was out there doing good. Even if he wasn't in my life, he was changing other people's and that gave me some insight into a man who I always thought would be angry and mean. He had, after all, walked away from me and my mother when I was still so young. He had never heard my voice or seen me take my first steps. When I parked my car in front of his building, I watched, waiting for a man to come out who looked like the young father I'd seen pictures of. Finally I saw a boy about 11 years old who looked exactly like him. It was almost uncanny how similar they looked. Following the boy out was a man, probably around 50 who I figured was my father. With him was a woman who appeared to be in her early 40's and three more kids. She carried a little girl who was no more than 4 and two other boys ran out past them, probably only 7 and 8 years old. It seemed as though he had another family and was a loving man. It seemed to me that he had changed and I didn't want to ruin anything. I drove away that day and went home.

I got married six months later and then two years after that Evan William Mitchels was born. It had only been six weeks since they discovered his leukemia, but it seemed like forever. I knew that now those children would find out that they had an older sister and about their father when he was young, as I assumed he hadn't told them.

In a way I felt bad for imposing into his life. I hadn't really had a tough childhood by any measure. Yes, my mother had been very young, but she had so much support from family and the man who became my surrogate father, Ben. My mother and Ben had married when I was four and they were 19. I was their flower girl and we officially became a family. Ben tried to adopt me, but because Ricky couldn't be found, it never happened. The legality didn't matter though, I had always called him dad. For many years, I was an only child. Both my parents went to college and then my mom even went to medical school. She became and emergency room doctor and Ben had become a college professor. Because of the amount of schooling they did, it was just the three of us for a long time. It wasn't until I was almost 13 that my sister was born. I remember how everyone became so focused on baby Molly. I loved and despised her at the same time. Then, when I was 15 and the same age my mom was when she had me, they had my other sister Emily. It was with baby Emily that I really began to see what my mother had experienced when she was pregnant with and raising me at such a young age. Because I was so much older than Molly and Emily, we weren't especially close. I used to watch them after school and we played all the time, but I still felt like an only child in many ways. Of course, wanting a son my parents had another baby just a year after Emily. Jake was born just as I started sophomore year of high school. Life was interesting for me with college just a few yeas away and siblings in diapers.

I was careful through school not to get into any situations that could derail me like my mom. I took her lessons to heart and studied all the time. I had really great friends and together, we all went to college. It was amazing when I had my first boyfriend Kevin and my second Grant. Both my parents were supportive when I chose to go into business and they were ecstatic when I brought James home the Christmas of my senior year. He is 2 years older than me and we'd met in class before he graduated. It seemed as though my life would be picture perfect, that was, until we got Evan's diagnosis.

"What are you doing hun?" I heard James' voice say as he entered the study

"I emailed him. I sucked it up and I emailed Ricky. Who knows if he'll answer though. I hope that he's a match and that he will donate and then we can move on with our lives."

"You don't want a relationship?"

"Not really, he didn't want to know me and you see how my dad, I mean Ben, treats me. It's like I'm his and I never felt like I wasn't."

"What if he is a match and he wants to meet Evan?"

"I don't know, you think that could happen?"

"If I had a kid out there who needed help, I would want to be in their lives and help out any way I could."

"Yeah, but he walked away Jay. He knew that my mom would probably struggle, and he walked away anyway."

"Liv, he was 16. You told me that when Emily and even Jake were born everything in your house changed. Now imagine you are a foster kid who's been abused and you feel alone. Honestly, I would've probably freaked out too."

"You've never put it like that before. You normally just agree with me. What do you know that I don't?" I said with a suspicious look on my face.

"Nothing, but when I put Evan to sleep I was thinking about how hard it muse have been for him to walk away the first time knowing that you would probably hate him."

"Well, if he answers me we'll find out what he wants now won't we?" I said turning to turn off the computer screen. "Wait, Jay look." I said clicking on the new email in my inbox. "That was quick"


	2. A Baby is Born

_Flashback:_

"_Mom I can't do this. It hurts! AHHHHHHH!"_

"_Amy, you can do this. Just breathe. When you see that little baby you will forget all about it. Just breathe." _

"_AHHHHHHH!" Amy screamed as she pushed. _

_And then it happened. The quiet that seemed to be louder than anything was shattered by the cries of a new baby, her baby._

"_Congratulations Amy, it's a girl" the doctor said putting the new baby on her mother's stomach._

"_Wow, I can't believe she's here. Look at her mom. Look at all her hair."_

"_Okay Amy, we have to clean her off, but we'll bring her back in a little while okay."_

"_Thanks."_

"_Oh Amy, I am so proud of you. You did amazing!" Anne said kissing her daughter's forehead. So do you know what you want to name her?"_

"_Yeah, I was thinking Olivia Addison. I still don't know what last name though. I think Ricky really came around though, and Olivia is what he really wanted to name her. I think it was for someone in his family. And, I love it too, so that really worked out. And I was thinking Underwood for her last name too. Whatta you think?"_

"_I think that Olivia Addison is the perfect name for her. And I have no idea about Ricky, but if your thinking Underwood and he wants Underwood then, go with it."_

"_Thanks Mom. Can you go get everyone so they can meet Olivia when they bring her back?"_

"_Of course. I'll be right back Ames. Love you"_


	3. The House of Cards

_Dear Olivia,_

_I am so sorry to hear about Evan, but I am glad beyond words that you contacted me. I would of course help you and your son in an instant. I will go and get tested as soon as you let me know exactly what I have to do. _

_I want you to know that leaving you was amazingly hard. I don't know if Amy ever told you this, but I used to come and play with you everyday after school. I remember how you would look at me with your big blue eyes. And you had so much hair, more than any other baby I had ever seen. You were beautiful and when I went home after that last visit with you I cried. I left not because I didn't want to be in your life, but because things had gotten so confusing in my world and I knew that by walking away Ben and Amy would be able to raise you in a stable environment. By the time my life settled down you were already 5 and I didn't want to shatter the world you knew, like the world had shattered when I was a boy. I did send birthday cards and Christmas cards to your Grandma Anne's. I hope with all my heart that you got them. _

_You were right about one thing, children are the greatest gift and I knew that when I had youin my life and again with my other children. I suppose you already know about my wife because I remember when you stopped by almost seven years ago. You never moved, but I saw you in the car. I knew who you were instantly and I knew that if you wanted to contact me, you would. And now, I suppose you have. That day I think you saw four of my other kids. I also have 2 daughters just 6 and 8 years younger than you, Savannah and Chloe. I know that you probably think that I just went around making children and walking away, but I never walked away from them, not after I saw how much it hurt to do that to you. _

_Savannah and Chloe were with my first wife Adrian. She and I got married when we were 21 and we had always had an on again off again relationship. She and I were actually happy and I think for us, the idea of family was so novel that we did everything to maintain ours. She had grown up without a dad and I had grown up in foster care. I think that even though we wanted it so badly, neither of us knew how to do it and in the end, we just didn't make it. But I didn't leave them. She and I are still on good terms, if for no other reason than we really wanted Sav and Chlo to have two parents and know what it felt like to be loved. _

_I know that you must hate me. I am sure you resent me and I have no doubt that you and I can never have the relationship I dream of. But, if you can find it in your heart to meet me for coffee or even in passing, I will be forever grateful. Just to touch your hand one last time or hear your voice would mean that, maybe, there is hope for us yet. I would love for you to meet your brothers and sisters,and I would love to meet your husband and your son. Maybe one day I can even meet this new baby that you are carrying?_

_Please email me back with the information I will need to get tested. _

_ Love always,_

_ Ricky_

I looked up. I didn't know what to say or what move to make next. Cards? Six other kids? Who was this man who'd walked away? He didn't sound like a monster, but a wonderful father who'd been lost in a youthful indiscretion, a moment that had made life and simultaneously changed it.

"So, it seems like he wants to help. Maybe he really isn't a bad guy?" Jay said hoping I didn't kill him.

He knew that I had always assumed my father to be irresponsible and nobody I would want in my life. All the stories I had been told about him in high school. He had been the school bad boy and my mother had fallen for his smooth moves. Now though, maybe there was more to him, more than any of us knew.

"Jay, what the hell am I supposed to do with this?" I screamed. Anger suddenly poured out of me. "He says there were cards! I mean, my parents wouldn't have kept this from me would they? It's not like I didn't know that Ben wasn't my real dad. They had always told me that. And they had talked such shit about him. He was the school player, hooking up with all the girls. And yet, he has raised six other kids and seems to be so nice and level. And my mother! How could she? I always wanted to know why he walked away and here she is hiding birthday and Christmas cards?"

"Honey, just sit down and think. He was 16, and even though he walked away from you, he carried that with him and raised six other kids. Damn! Do you realize that you have 9 brothers and sisters! That's ridiculous. Shit, Evan has tons of Aunts and Uncles, who knows, maybe he has cousins. That would be so great!"

"Jay, you have got to be kidding me. I mean you're talking about cousins and I have a dad who has 6 other kids. Shit, that is a lot. Maybe they could be matches for Evan?"

"Who knows, maybe you'll have to meet Ricky. But now, I am going to sleep. This has been a crazy day."


	4. A Baby Gets Her Bath

_Flashback:_

"_Amy" Called Ricky as he tapped on the door and slowly open it._

"_Hey Ricky. Just give me one second and she'll be ready. You wanted to do her bath today right?" Amy said as she carried a small baby girl in her arms._

"_Yeah. You need any help? I could hold her or clean up or something" He offered as he walked further into the house. _

"_Yeah, hold Olivia and I'll just go grab the stuff for her bath."_

_Ricky extended his arms and took baby Olivia from her mother. He gently brushed the baby's thick brown hair to the side and kissed her warm forehead. He stroked her small hands, as she grasped tightly with her full fist around his fingers. Ricky carried her into Amy's bed room and laid her carefully on the changing table. Then he got her ready for her bath and carried her back into the bathroom. He and Amy had a nice arrangement going with Olivia and it was better than Ricky could ever imagine. At just two months old, Olivia had changed Ricky into a new man, a much better man. _

_Amy joined them in the bathroom and the two of them gave Olivia a bath. Ricky's strong hands supported baby Olivia and the three of them acted like a real family. Of course, Amy also had Ben and her own mother there to help her, but on this particular day it was just them. When Ricky finished her bath he lifted her out and placed her in the towel that Amy had laid out. Wrapping her in the blanket, Olivia seemed so at ease, in the arms of her father with her mother at their side. Together they got her ready for a nap getting her completely dressed and then rocking her to bed with their voices to soothe her._

_As they walked out of the room where Olivia slept they couldn't help but realize how much everything had changed._

"_Thanks Ricky" Amy said as she walked him to the door._

"_For what?" He responded_

"_You know, for sticking around and being like you are with her. I never imagined that we would be able to be friends and do this for her."_

"_I couldn't not do this. She is so perfect and I just want her life to be perfect and great. And you know, I don't even mind that she also has Ben. I mean, its kind of great that I had two crappy parents and here she is, only two months old with three people completely in love with her."_

"_So I'll see you tomorrow for lunch?" Amy asked as Ricky left_

"_Yup, is Ben coming too?"_

"_Don't know yet. I'll see you then Ricky. I really should nap, I mean she is"_

"_I got you, I'll see you for lunch Amy."_


	5. The Recovered Letter

Ricky's POV:

"Dad!" Called Kyle from the study.

"What is it Ky? I am really trying to get ready for work. Hint, hint. Maybe you should get ready for school. I can't wait forever you know. People depend on me and if I'm not there than they are late and it starts an entire reaction where everyone everywhere has to wait...all because you didn't want to have to go to school."

"Wow Dad, over dramatic much?" Jordan said passing me. "Don't look at me though, I am just going to grab my shoes."

"Dad!" Kyle called yet again.

"Fine Kyle, if its that important I'll be there in a second. Is this what it was like last year when Sam took you guys to school. Man do I miss the days when you four just magically got to school. Speaking of, where is Alex anyway? She better be awake."

"She's waiting for her shirt that's in the drier, Dad. Now come on and look at this."

I grab my tie and run down stairs. I figure if he's gonna keep calling me, it must be pretty important.

"What Ky?" I saw when I get to where he sits at the desk in our study.

"Look at this" He says pointing at the screen where an open word document shows the letter I wrote to my estranged daughter.

"Where did you find that?"

"Don't be mad, the computer crashed and it recovered the file. I didn't want to, like, not recover it and lose all your shit."

"Kyle, language. This is mine and while I appreciate you saving it from the virtual shredder, I need you to go get dressed and to not read things that you know aren't yours. Geez Ky, you'd think you weren't in high school from the way you act."

"Dad, to be fair this is my first year so I'm not really in it yet, just like acclimating."

"Clothing" Was all I responded as I closed the window and saved it. Kyle ran up to his room and within five minutes we were off to school.

As we all piled into the car, I realized how different it was without Sam. This was his first year away at school and already I couldn't wait for Jordan to get his license.  
"Ready?" I ask as I pull out of our garage. I have certainly done well for my family and we live in a nice house. Just next door is where Adrian lives. Our daughters grew up there and it was easy to raise all my kids with Savannah and Chloe just one house over. Now, the house is just Adrian's and the neighborhood seems so different without the six kids running wildly between houses. Adrian had always treated my kids from my current marriage as her own and I respected and loved her more for it. Our situation while exceptionally difficult had produced 6 kids who were smart, kind and big hearted. With 3 parents, the kids always had somebody to turn to, adult or kid. Finally we reach the stop sign at the end of the block when Kyle finally says the words I'd been waiting for...

"So who is this Olivia that you emailed?" He said carefully.

"That's Dad's other kid dummy" Alex stated proud that she knew something her older brother had seemingly forgot.

"Kyle, you knew that. Remember my oldest daughter Olivia. I've told you about her and how I had walked out of her life when she was a few months old."

"Oh yeah. And she wants to talk to you after you did that to her?" He said being a smart ass.

"Well Ky, I was young and stupid and on some level I hope she understands that."

"Doesn't she want to know us?" Alex asked, once again acting like the 11 year old she was.

"I'm sure she would want to meet you, but I haven't even seen her in 36 years. She contacted me out of the blue. She actually is a mom and her son is really sick, so she wanted to know if I could help her."

"Whoa, 36 years?! You must've been really young Dad." Alex remarked.

"Yup, but that's a lesson that I'll explain another day... and with your mother present for the girl stuff I still don't get. Now go get your butt to class missy." I said pulling the car to a stop in front of her school. "See you later Al!"

As I pulled away from the curb, the boys began to ask more questions.

"So, what's wrong with her son?" Jordan asked. He had always had a big heart and his mother and I had always seen him changing the world and saving the downtrodden.

"Um, Leukemia I think." I said uneasily.

"Seriously? How old is he?" Kyle chimed in.

"I think he's like 5 or something. I don't really know much except that Amy isn't a match and Olivia can't donate marrow right now."

"Is Amy her mom?" Kyle asked.

"Yes, Amy is her mother." I said as I turned the corner down the block from school

"Is Olivia sick too? Is that why she can't help?" Kyle wondered.

"No, she is actually pregnant and can't donate till after the baby's born."  
"Dad, don't you ever like wonder about her?" Jordan asked as he prepared to leave the car.

"Yeah I do Jor, you know the baby picture in the living room? The one with all the hair and blue eyes? Well, that one's her."  
"Serious? So do you think she and I look alike because, my baby pictures look like her's? Actually, so do Alex's. I kinda always just assumed it was Alex." Kyle added opening the door.

"Guys, we can talk about this later okay. Have fun at school?"

"Oh yeah we will Dad" Jordan said sarcastically as he slammed the car door shut. I drove off as the two boys walked into the building together.

When I arrived at the office I checked my email and she had already gotten back to me.

_Dear Ricky,_

_I am so glad that you are willing to help. I must be honest, I never received any cards as a kid and I never expected that you would email me back so fast. I am going to find out what happened to the cards and with any luck Grandma will still have them somewhere and I'll be able to read them now._

_It was bittersweet to hear about your family, because as exciting as it is that I have six brothers and sisters, I missed out on all of it because of you. I know that sounds harsh, but it is what it is. I hope that this doesn't push you away seeing that you are so willing to help Evan, but I have been dreaming all my life of what I would tell you if I ever did meet you. James reminds me that you were young and that you seem to be a good man and father however much it stings me to know that you were neither for me growing up. _

_I don't want you to think that I had a bad life though. You were right that my Mom and Dad (Ben if you are wondering who it is I call Dad) were able to give me a stable home like you'd hoped. When I was four Ben and my Mom married and he wanted to adopt me. Although he couldn't because you still had parental rights, we did change my last name to Boykewich. And, I didn't grow up alone either. Well, I did for the first 13 years, but then my parents had 3 kids(Molly, Emily and Jake). Mom went to med school and Dad is a professor. _

_I know that you are going to get tested for Evan and I have attached the information you will need. I cannot thank you enough for even getting tested, but I also have a somewhat awkward question. If you aren't a match, would you be willing to ask your kids to get tested? I don't know what the probabilities are of them matching, but I get the feeling that you too would leave no stone unturned in the search to save your child's life. _

_Do your children even know about me? Maybe you could email me back with information about them and who you guys are?I think that one day I may just want to meet the other piece of my family. I know how important it is to know where you come from and even though I don't feel out of place, I have wondered if I smile like you or if Evan's expressions which we see on no one else in the family could be from you. Thanks again for all of your honesty and help. Hope to hear back soon._

_-Olivia_


	6. A Boy Finds His Mother

**FEEL FREE TO COMMENT ON MY STORY. YOUR FEEDBACK IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN KNOW IF YOU LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING. THANKS TO ALL THE READERS AND I HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING THE STORY!**

_Flashback:_

"_Ricky!" Called the young man's foster father._

"_Yeah, what's up?" Ricky asked running down the stairs._

"_Somebody is here to see you" He answered_

"_Who is it? Is it good? Is it Amy and the baby?" Ricky asked, seeming excited at the possibility that his baby was at his house for a visit. _

"_No. Ricky its your mom. Apparently she's passed the required amount of drug rehab and psych evaluations and parenting classes as things like that."_

"_You have got to be kidding me." Ricky said lowing his voice and pulling the man off to the side. "They are going to let her come see me? She let my father abuse me because she was too cracked out of her mind to even know what season it was, let alone anything really important. I don't have to go live with her right? I CANNOT go and live with her. I love it here. And what about Olivia? Huh, what do I do?"_

"_Ricky, you go walk into that room and say hello to your mother. She is different than the woman you remember and you are different than the 11 year old boy who got taken away from her. **You** are a good man Ricky. You are smart and talented and brave. You looked into a world that knocked you down, more than once, and you still came out the other side to man up to taking care of your baby and really being there for her. She can't take any of the things you've done away from you, and you have to give her credit for the more than five years she's battled the courts just to see you again."_

"_Fine, you know, you are pretty good at this encouragement stuff."_

"_I know. Now go!" He said pushing Ricky towards the living room_

_Slowly he walked into the room and was faced with a woman who was older than he'd remembered. _

"_Hi Ricky" she said in a voice that had once been so familiar to him._

"_Hi Mom. How are you?" Ricky replied nervously._

"_I'm better now. You look so handsome Ricky. Not like the little boy who I let down."_

"_What?" Ricky asked surprised that his mother was fessing up to her mistakes._

"_You heard me. I let you down. I was high and I didn't protect you from your father. And even though I know that he is in jail forever, I also know that what he did to you will never go away. I just don't want you to hate me and I know how hard it will be for you to overcome this. I hear that you're doing well though. How's school?"_

"_It's good actually. Turns out if I just put in a little more effort, it isn't so hard. Ever since Olivia was born, I just have given so much more at school because I need to go to college, for her."_

"_I'm sorry Ricky, Olivia?" His mother asked puzzled as to who the girl could be._

"_Yeah, Olivia Addison is my daughter's name. She is three months old and she is amazing."_

"_Olivia, huh?" She said as if she knew more._

"_Yeah. I named her for Oliver. I know that when he got killed you kind of crumbled, but he'd been so important to me Mom. Remember how he had taught me to play ball?"_

"_Of course I do honey. I remember when we brought you home from the hospital and Olly was so excited to have 'Baby Brother' home. Thats what he used to call you you know, 'Baby Brother'"_

"_Really? I wish I knew more about him, or had a picture or something. I don't know what happened to all our stuff when I got taken."_

"_I have it, and I would love to give you some pictures of him. So, a daughter?"_

"_Yeah. Turns out that what Dad did to me made me wild, you know with the girls and I kind of got this girl pregnant last summer. At first it really sucked, but I didn't want her life to be totally confusing, so I sucked it up and stood by Amy."_

"_I am so proud of you Ricky." His mother said._

"_So, how is the reunion going?" Asked Ricky's foster father.. "Drinks anyone?"_

"_No thank you. I do want to thank you though. You gave my son a second chance and from what I can see, you have made him into a man I am proud of. Thank you so much. I actually have to go now, but I would love it if I could see Ricky again?"_

"_Well Mrs. Underwood, you will have to take that up with Ricky."_

"_I'll give you my number and walk you out. Give me a call and I'll see what we can do."_

"_It was great to see you Ricky. I missed you all this time."_

"_You too Mom." Ricky said closing the door behind his mother and walking back into the house._


End file.
